In ‘Monumental Abstracts’ exhibit, art is bigger—literally

BY John Legaspi
Apr 19, 2022 11:05 AM

Art Lounge Manila’s newest exhibits feature the larger-than-life works of Anna de Leon, Francis Nacion Jr., Louie Ignacio, Jonathan Dangue, Ricky Francisco, Melissa Yeung Yap, and 0270501

A painted canvas is like a window to a new world created out of an artist’s imagination. But seeing a massive artwork on display is a totally unique experience. It doesn’t just give people a glimpse, but it invites them to step into a whole new universe. That is what Art Lounge Manila's latest exhibit is all about, modern abstractions set on enormous canvases.

Dubbed “Monumental Abstracts,” the exhibit presents the works of Anna de Leon, Francis Nacion Jr., Louie Ignacio, Jonathan Dangue, Ricky Francisco, Melissa Yeung Yap, and 0270501. Using canvases with one side more than 10 feet (most using 16 feet), this project has been born out of the thrill of creating something memorable and impactful; like an explosion of pent-up energies from being so cooped up in their respective homes for so long.

“Monumental Abstracts” presents different expressions of abstraction on a large scale. The diversity of subjects and inspirations show how color, composition, balance, movement, and sheer size present a welcome alternative to a narrative for aesthetic delectation. The exhibit also marks a point of expansiveness as our society is opening up to the new normal; a break from being cooped up for so long in our own homes.

Check out their works below:

Francis Nacion’s ‘Wave Dreams’ introduces a color field and diaphanous layers to his richly detailed sgraffito oeuvre, and focuses his attention to composition using sewing-inspired elements that remind viewers of textiles, patches, stitches, and thread overlaid and assembled into a central image that is compositionally balanced and yet full of movement

Balancing planned order and intuitive discovery is ‘Deja Vu’ by Jonathan Dangue, whose technique is a synergy of painterly drips done with both planning and intuition

Aesthetically, 0270501’s work references the Japanese gutai in that it reminds us of the relationship between material, spirit, and freedom, as well as contemporary aesthetics, while using the highly traditional and utilitarian abaca fabric

Using the horizontality of the canvas, Ricky Francisco, through ‘A Crimson Sunset Foreseen,’ presents an abstraction of a sunset, a favorite subject of his in his many photos taken during the lockdown

Melissa Yeung Yap integrates t’nalak, a woven textile made from Philippine abaca by the T’boli, into her mural-sized work ‘Abundant Blooms’

Focusing on composition, Anna de Leon’s ‘Timelapse’ is as neat, tidy, and balanced as the interior design projects she is also known for; showcasing her mastery of color, form, balance, and movement

Using not only his whole arm, but his whole body in the process, the gestural strokes Louie Ignacio used in ‘Seeing The World From Above’ were simultaneously liberal and liberating; matching the energy of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ and creating something equally majestic

“Monumental Abstracts” is available for viewing at Art Lounge Manila: Molito until April 30, 2022.

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